Below is a summary of Georgia Homeschool Laws to help you ensure your homeschool is compliant.
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Note: The information below is not to be considered legal advice. I’m a homeschool mom with an interest in helping you, not a lawyer. I strongly recommend that you contact your state education department if you have questions specific to your circumstances.
Homeschool
Georgia requires notification of your intent to homeschool, standardized testing, progress reports, and has mandatory subjects.
Can I Teach?
You must have a high school diploma or equivalent. If you do not meet this requirement, you can hire a private tutor who meets the requirement.
You aren’t allowed to instruct the children of other parents.
Do I Have to Notify the State?
Yes. Georgia has an online Declaration of Intent form that you must submit each year. The deadline is September 1st or within 30 days of starting your homeschool program.
Standardized Testing
Your child will have to take a nationally recognized standardized test every three years starting in third grade.
At minimum, your child needs to take a standardized test in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12.
The Georgia Department of Education recommends you contact a standardized testing vendor or a local homeschool group to obtain testing information.
Required Subjects
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Reading
Progress Reports
You must write Progress Reports each year and retain them for at least three years.
How Many Days a Year do I Have to Teach?
Georgia homeschool law requires 180 days of instruction averaging at least 4.5 hours per day.
I’d strongly recommend you keep attendance.
Compulsory Attendance Age
The compulsory attendance age is the age range in which your child must be attending school of some type.
In Georgia, this range is 6 years to 16 years (unless your genius homeschooler graduates high school before then).
Public School Sports
The Dexter Mosely Act allows homeschool students in grades 6-12 to participate in their activities. There are a few requirements:
- You must provide written notification to the principal and superintendent of your child’s intent to participate in one or more activities at least 30 days before the first school day of the semester.
- You must provide a copy of the most recent progress report and written verification your child has a passing grade in each class, is maintaining satisfactory performance towards advancement, and meets academic requirements for participation in the activities.
- Your child must enroll in at least one public school class in the semester(s) they will be participating in an activity.
- Your child must meet the age, academic, and other rules applicable to all students.
- Your child must follow the public school’s disciplinary and transportation policies.
- Your child will still have to complete tryouts for the activity, just like public school students.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this summary of Georgia Homeschool Laws gets you started on your homeschool journey with your family!
If you’re just getting started, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed.
The Home Learning Kit can help!
It’s a package of handy learning tools to make your homeschool more fun and engaging, curated by yours truly. Check it out!
